CX/Gravel Tire Test: Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H Classic 50

The Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H (Hard Terrain) is a gravel bike tire with shallow and closely spaced center knobs and slightly bigger knobs along the edge of the tire. The Gravel H is optimized to provide good handling characteristics in wet and dry terrain conditions that do not require large knobs (asphalt, hardpack, hard gravel roads).

Ad Buy Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H Classic at Amazon.com

We tested the 40 mm version of the Cinturato Gravel H in 2021 (read review) and found it an excellent choice for hard terrain. This time, we will look at the 50 mm version with "classic look" sidewalls, as the 50 mm version isn't available with black sidewalls. Although we don't expect huge differences, seeing how the classic and black sidewalls compare is interesting.

From a specifications standpoint, it's surprising that the classic sidewall versions of the Pirelli H are consistently heavier than the black sidewall versions. We can't find any obvious differences in the specifications, so we're not sure where all the extra weight has gone. Both the classic and black sidewall versions use a 120 TPI tubeless-ready "TechWALL Gravel" casing and Pirelli SpeedGrip compound.

Let's examine the 50 mm version of the Gravel H Classic and compare it to the 40 mm black sidewall version that we tested in 2021.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Pirelli
Model	Cinturato Gravel H Classic
Year	2024
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At	Ad Amazon.com
Manufacturer part number	3929800
EAN	8019227392982
TPI	120
Compound	SpeedGRIP
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	50-622
Specified Weight	670 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	54
Made In	Members Only
Available Sizes	35-622 (700x35c) 40-622 (700x40c) 45-622 (700x45c) 50-622 (700x50c) 45-584 (650x45b) 50-584 (650x50c)

Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H Classic 50 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	670 grams
Measured Weight	657 grams
Measured Width Casing	50 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	51 mm
Measured Height	47 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	1.0 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.1 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	2.00 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall	Members Only
All size measurements are taken at low air pressure on a 17.8 mm inner width rim.

Rolling Resistance Test Results

Rolling Resistance Test Results
Inner Tube	None (30 ml sealant)
Measured Width	50 mm
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 66 psi/4.6 bar 33-35 = 60 psi/4.1 bar 36-38 = 54 psi/3.7 bar 39-42 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 43-46 = 46 psi/3.2 bar 47-50 = 42 psi/2.9 barHigh Air Pressure (42 psi / 2.9 bar)	Members Only
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 55 psi/3.8 bar 33-35 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 36-38 = 45 psi/3.1 bar 39-42 = 42 psi/2.9 bar 43-46 = 38 psi/2.6 bar 47-50 = 35 psi/2.4 barMedium Air Pressure (35 psi / 2.4 bar)	Members Only
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 44 psi/3.0 bar 33-35 = 40 psi/2.8 bar 36-38 = 36 psi/2.6 bar 39-42 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 43-46 = 31 psi/2.1 bar 47-50 = 28 psi/1.9 barLow Air Pressure (28 psi / 1.9 bar)	21.0 Watts CRR: 0.00629
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 33-35 = 30 psi/2.1 bar 36-38 = 27 psi/1.9 bar 39-42 = 25 psi/1.7 bar 43-46 = 23 psi/1.6 bar 47-50 = 21 psi/1.4 barExtra Low Air Pressure (21 psi / 1.4 bar)	24.7 Watts CRR: 0.00740
The CX/Gravel section is a multi tire size section, air pressures have been adjusted to the measured casing width. All numbers are for a single tire at a speed of 29 km/h / 18 mph and a load of 42.5 kg / 94 lbs. Use the formula: RR (Watts) = CRR * speed (m/s) * load (N) to calculate rolling resistance at a given speed and load.

Puncture Resistance Test Results

Puncture Resistance Test Results (higher is better)
Total Puncture Score Tread	31 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Tread Total Tire Thickness	2.00 mm
Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Members Only
Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Sidewall Total Tire Thickness	Members Only

Hard Surface Static Grip Test Results

Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average	83 Points
Wet Grip Center	Members Only
Wet Grip Edge	Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center	1.0 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.1 mm
Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 CX/Gravel grip test rim width = 23.0 mm
Wet Grip Test and Off-Road Tires (info)

Conclusion

Comparing a 50 mm tire with "classic sidewalls" to a 40 mm tire with black sidewalls complicates things. When we forget about those differences, we see the 50 mm version rolls slower but comes with deeper center knobs and offers better grip in our wet grip test. The deeper knobs and higher grip should result in a much more versatile tire when compared to the 40 mm, which is more of a semi-slick tire.

We're not sure where the differences in the knob height come from, and we're unsure if this is specific to the classic sidewall version or related to the size of the tire. We've tested quite a few different sizes of the most popular tires lately, and we see a bigger difference between sizes than we initially expected.

We know one thing for sure at this point: the 50 mm version of the Gravel H is a more heavy-duty gravel bike tire than the 40 mm we tested three years ago (read review).

Compare the Pirelli Gravel H side by side in the 40 and 50 mm sizes

Ad Buy Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H Classic at Amazon.com

RATING: 4.0 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Recommended

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